Shop

he profits from all the items in this shop go entirely towards FORWARD’s work to end FGM, child marriage and obstetric fistula in the UK and Africa.

Books

These Are Our Friends

A collection of poetry written by FORWARD’s youth advocates.

Young people from four cities (London, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham) took part in creative writing workshops that developed their campaigning and creative writing skills as they experimented with the power and depth that words can have to spread a message.

The poems capture the nuances and complexities of the practice of FGM and the varying emotions and feelings that the practice evokes inviting the readers to engage in a wider discussion about the links, rationale, and complications of a practice that can at times be oversimplified in wider public debate and commentary.

£5.99 + p&p

Harmattan

Haoua is a young girl growing up in a remote village in the Republic of Niger. Spirited, independent and intelligent, she has benefited from a stable home life and a loving and attentive mother and enjoys working and playing with her siblings and friends.

Haoua worships her elder brother, Abdelkrim, a serving soldier who sends money home to support the family. But, on his last home visit, Abdelkrim quarrels with their father accusing him of gambling away the money he sends and being the cause of their mother’s worsening health. It also emerges that their father plans to take a second wife.

Despite this Haoua finds contentment in her schoolwork, her dreams of becoming a teacher and in writing assiduously to the family in Ireland who act as her aid sponsors.

But for Haoua, there are new storm clouds on the horizon: as civil strife mounts in Niger, she begins to fear for Abdelkrim’s safety; Her mother’s illness is much more serious and further advanced than anyone had recognised, and her father’s plans are turning out to be far more threatening than she could have ever imagined.

Approaching her twelfth birthday, Haoua feels alone and vulnerable for the very first time in her life.

£12.99 + p&p

T-Shirts

Artwork

Artwork developed using the poetry from These Are Our Friends as inspiration.Each art work represents one of the four themes of the poems: This Is – Our Inspiration, This Is – Our Community, This Is It: FGM and This Is: Our Life. The themes have been beautifully illustrated by talented and creative professionals from the worlds of fashion, graphic and web design, social media and music. You can purchase these as fold out posters with FGM infographic on the reverse or as high quality A3 posters.

Game Face The Party Plan I Know Her We, Us, Community

Fold out Poster and Infographic

Infographic

Double sided poster with poetry artwork on one side and FGM infographic on the reverse.

Game Face by Sadia Rafique featuring the poem of the same name by Ikram Nur

The Party Plan by Gabrielle Smith featuring the poem of the same name by Fanta Kone

I Know Her by Lulu Kiololo featuring the poem of the same name by Kaltun Duale

We, Us: Community? by Justin McKenzie featuring the poem of the same name by Foosiya Ahmed

£1.50 + p&p

Fold Out Poster

High Quality Posters

These Are Our Friends Poster

One sided A3 card poster of the poetry artwork.

This collection includes the artwork of the front cover of the poetry collection, These Are Our Friends by OddKinCreate.